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Is Ghost Alive On 'Game Of Thrones'? The Direwolf Is Just Fine

by Megan Walsh

When Jon Snow found himself brutally stabbed in the season finale of Game of Thrones, a lot of fans were wondering where his very threatening and protective direwolf had gone off to. Surely if Ghost had been around to jump in, Jon never would have been hurt! The trailer for the show's upcoming sixth season showed Ghost finally by his master's side (uh, too little too late, pal) but the wolf was laying so perfectly still that viewers wondered if he was also dead — killed to prevent him standing up for his master. Is Ghost alive on Game of Thrones Season 6?

Thankfully the loss of another Stark family member doesn't mean the loss of another adorable direwolf. Liam Cunningham, the actor who plays Davos Seaworth, appeared on Conan to promote the show with a clip that showed Ghost alive and well. As Davos prepares to defend Jon's body from the other Night's Watchmen, Ghost is at the ready to lend a helping paw. Ghost being alive is important not only because no one likes it when dogs die on television, but because he might be very important to Jon Snow's upcoming resurrection, though the groundwork for that was laid in the books more than it was in the show.

In the books, Ghost is MIA during the big stabbing because he had anticipated it and Jon, misinterpreting Ghost's dog anxiety, locked the wolf up so he wouldn't cause trouble. (Big mistake, Jon.) While the show has focused mainly on Bran's ability to warg, which means he can see through the eyes of animals like his direwolf, in the books it seems like most of the Stark children share that talent. Jon resists it, but he is able at times to see through Ghost's eyes.

This could be important because it might just save Jon. If he wargs into Ghost at the moment of his death, it keeps him alive through the wolf — and might be lead to him coming back to life in his more human form. The magical rules aren't totally clear but if one thing is for sure, it's that the connection between the Starks and their wolves is very strong. So strong that it might just transcend death.